Greed is Not Good

Living in the Spirit
September 3, 2018

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 22:1-2,8-9, 22-23

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
   and favor is better than silver or gold.
The rich and the poor have this in common:
   the Lord is the maker of them all. –Proverbs 22:1-2

I was raised with the idea, particularly emphasized by my father, that my behavior reflected on family generations before me and following me. Perhaps that is what sparked my interest in genealogy. Not too surprising what I found was some outliers, a few famous a few infamous, but primarily good hardworking faith-driven folks. I was also raised with the sure and certain knowledge that all people are made in the image of God. I have dubbed my mother the first and greatest egalitarian for she modeled loving all God’s children rich or poor and those represented among all other dichotomies of diversity among people. The foundation of my parent’s philosophies is that we are each first and foremost children of God and our very being exists to honor God by the way we live God’s love with all God’s children.

I have not seen the movie Wallstreet but I am acquainted with a phrase from it, “Greed is Good” as I understand the movie portrays the epidemic of greed in our land. Greed is not good. It robs us of our individual identity to reflect God’s image as we strive to worship wealth accumulation rather than God. It robs us of following the commandment to love one another when our overwhelming desire for more always results in others having less than enough. There is nothing greater than the love of God.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art*

Prayer: Lord, remind me of the faith of my ancestors who knew the love of God in good times and bad and the legacy I will leave for my descendants when I am enticed by the temptations of the world. Amen.

*Chorus from How Great Thou Art by Carl Gustav Boberg see at https://hymnary.org/text/o_lord_my_god_when_i_in_awesome_wonder

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.